Al-Qaeda offensive sees Syrian forces besieged in north Hama

BEIRUT, LEBANON (1:30 P.M.) – Pro-government Syrian fighters of the National Defence Forces stationed in the trading village of Abu Daleh have found themselves fully besieged after days of violent clashes with Al-Qaeda-linked militias in north Hama.

The siege on Abu Daleh was imposed after Ha’yat Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkistan Islamic Party managed to seize the village of al-Musheirfeh further south, essentially slicing in half the narrow government-held salient that juts into the region.

Despite reports saying that Abu Daleh has fallen to Al-Qaeda-led militias, the reality is that some National Defence Forces fighters continue to hold out within the village. In any case, they are nonetheless fully besieged.

According to Al-Masdar News journalist Ibrahim Joudeh, the Syrian Arab Army and National Defence Forces are preparing to launch a counterattack and retake al-Musheirfeh and lift the siege on Abu Daleh.

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